Rototoms

The Rototom is a drum developed by Al Payson, Robert Grass, and Michael Colgrass that has no shell and is tuned by rotating. A rototom consists of a single head in a die-cast zinc or aluminum frame. Unlike most other drums, this type has a variable definite pitch. Composers are known to write for them as tuned instruments, demanding specific pitches. Rototoms are often used to extend the tom range of a standard drum kit. They were commercialized by the drumhead company Remo Inc., of North Hollywood, California.

Drums and drumheads

Tuning

Rototoms can be tuned quickly by rotating the drumhead, which sits in a threaded metal ring. Rotation raises or lowers the tension hoop relative to the rim, which increases or decreases the pitch of the drum by increasing or decreasing the tension of the drumhead.

Sizes

Remo currently markets Rototoms in seven sizes — 6" (15.2 cm), 8" (20.3 cm), 10" (25.4 cm), 12" (30.5 cm), 14" (35.6 cm), 16" (40.6 cm) and 18" (45.7 cm) diameters (see note below), each tunable over an octave's range or more, although the company notes that “the practical range for fullness of sound is approximately a sixth interval.”Remo RotoToms
Remo Inc., 1981. Accessed 11 December 2018. Each size can produce various effects, depending upon the drum head and its tuning.

Note: Currently (2022), Remo only sells RotoToms in a kit with the 6”, 8”, and 10” diameters, along with a mounting rail and stand. All other sizes were discontinued several years ago.

Drumheads

Rototoms are furnished with ''"Controlled Sound" Black Dot'' drumheads as standard, where the reinforced black central sound area is said to provide ”compactness of sound with minimum ‘overring’ plus great durability.” Other heads, each of which may offer distinctive tonal differences, are also available, including ''Pinstripe,'' which offers “a dampened tom-tom sound — wet, flat and funky”, ''FiberSkyn,'' which produces “a round, dark tom-tom sound...especially suited for recording use and in tuned tom-toms for general orchestral use, and ''Timpani,'' intended for “purity of sound and consistent performance.”

Applications

Rototoms can replace more specialized drums and, when equipped with timpani drumheads, replicate the timpani's range and timbre but with a distinctive tone. Jazz, rock and studio performers use Rototoms both as a solo voice and as conventional tom-toms; they can be rapidly tuned to produce glissando effects and can be arrayed for a virtual percussion keyboard. For concert and marching band programs, Rototoms combine rapid tuning with portability and sound quality, working both as concert tom-toms and as practice timpani. For stage bands and jazz ensembles, drum kits are fitted out with batter heads. When tuned to the mid-range, they have an indefinite pitch with fewer harmonic overtones than conventional tom-toms; tuned to the high range, they produce a latin percussion sound instead.

Rototoms can assist students in ear training and in developing their timpani techniques and — because of their portability, storability and relatively low cost — are often used by professional performers as practice instruments. They are also used as definite-pitched instruments in elementary music programs, such as Orff Schulwerk, where their sound quality, pitch stability and rapid tuning are assets.

Musical repertoire

Published percussion solo and ensemble literature calling for ”tuned drums” or “small tom-toms” may be appropriately performed on Rototoms, and some composers, such as William Kraft and Michael Colgrass, have written works specifically for Rototoms.

Solo works

* Canto IX composed by John H. Beck and Samuel Adler
* Episode For Solo Percussion composed by John H. Beck

Encounters VI
"Concertino for Roto-Toms and Percussion Quartet" composed by William Kraft

Fantasy Variations
BY Michael Colgrass
* Three Pieces for 5 Timpani, 5 Rototoms and Orchestra by Claude Baker
* Des Imagistes by William Kraft
* Les sept jours by Walter Boudreau
* Jazz Waltz for 4 Timpani, 4 RotoToms, and DrumSet by Vic Firth
* Agitato by Darren Jones
* Hikoi by Gareth Farr

Percussion ensemble works

* Amorçage by Osvaldo Budón
* A Prophecy by Anders Brødsgaard
* Concertante Diversion by J.B. Smith
* Concerto for Percussion(Horvit) by Michael Horvit
* Duos for Two Marimbas and Assorted Percussion by Allan Blank
* Inventions on a Motive by Michael Colgrass
* Little Sea Gongs by Gareth Farr
* Percussion Music by Michael Colgrass
* Pentadic Striations by Anthony Cirone
* Prison Cell by Robert Paterson
* Reckless by Dave Hollinden
* Silent Opera No.6 by Hilton Jones
* Stealing Thunder by Robert Paterson
* Suite for 4 Timpani, 4 Roto-toms and Drum Set by Vic Firth
* Symphony No. 3(Cirone) by Anthony J. Cirone
* Tekum by Hans-Joachim Hespos
* Territorios by Osvaldo Budón
* Trois Rivières by Kaija Saariaho
* Theatric no.1 by Casey Cangelosi
* Theatric no.5 by Casey Cangelosi
* Weather Movement II by Steve Riley

Ensemble works (with wind instruments)

* Vivace for Bassoon / Bass Clarinet and Rototoms by Krzysztof Penderecki
* Concertino for Oboe, Bassoon and Percussion Ensemble by Robert Rollin

Ensemble works (with string instruments)

* Variations for Four Drums and Viola by Michael Colgrass

Ensemble works (with winds, strings, and brass instruments)

* Closet Full of Demons by Robert Paterson
* Eight Songs for a Mad King by Peter Maxwell Davies
* The Lighthouse (opera) by Peter Maxwell Davies

Books

* RotoTom Solos for the Melodic Drummer(1980) by William J. Schinstine
* RotoTom Solos(1982) by Harry Marvin

Notable users

Famous drummers who used rototoms include Bill Bruford (of Yes, King Crimson and U.K.) and Terry Bozzio (of Frank Zappa's band and the U.K. band).
* The intro to Curtis Mayfield's " Pusherman", heard on the 1972 '' Superfly'' soundtrack, makes prominent use of the drum's pitch-sliding feature.
* Nick Mason of Pink Floyd used rototoms to record the distinctive introduction to "Time", from the 1973 album ''The Dark Side of the Moon''.
* Phil Collins used rototoms early in his career - between 1976 and 1978.
* Bill Bruford used rototoms from 1977 until 1982 - his 1979 LP "One Of A Kind" featured 1x12" and 2x14" rototoms. The album won best recorded performance in the 1980 Modern Drummer Magazine.
* Roger Taylor of Queen has used rototoms since the early 1970s, most recently in the cover of " Let There Be Drums" on the 2005 live album ''Return of the Champions''.
* Bev Bevan of Electric Light Orchestra used rototoms, most notably on the albums ''Discovery'' (1979) and ''Secret Messages'' (1983).
* Duran Duran's drummer Roger Taylor used rototoms extensively on their self-titled 1981 debut album '' Duran Duran''.
* Alex Van Halen of Van Halen used rototoms extensively on the album ''1984''.
* Composer Sir Michael Tippett used a total of 38 rototoms - tuned chromatically, spanning across 3 octaves - in his last large-scale orchestral work, ''The Rose Lake'' (1993), based on a lake he spotted suddenly transforming from light green to translucent pink while on holiday in Senegal.
* Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters included several rototoms in his drum kit.

Other users

* Charly Alberti de Soda Stereo
*Tim Alexander of Primus
* Mike Sus of Possessed (band)
*Travis Barker of Blink-182
* Louie Bellson with Oscar Peterson
*Lucius Borich of Cog
*Eric Carr of Kiss
*David van Tieghem with Laurie AndersonLaurie Anderson Big Science album notes
*Danny Carey of Tool
*Karen Carpenter of The Carpenters
*Terry Chambers of XTC
*Damon Che of Don Caballero
*Jeremy Colson of Steve Vai's band
* Ray Cooper with Elton John
*Stewart Copeland of The Police
* Alan Myers of Devo
*Rick Buckler of The Jam
*Robert DeLong
*Jon Farriss of INXS
* John Fell of The Heroine Sheiks
*Jos Zoomer of Vandenberg
*Fenriz of Darkthrone
*Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters
*Arin Ilejay of Avenged Sevenfold
*Darren King of MUTEMATH
*Eric Kretz of Stone Temple Pilots
*Mike Mangini (currently of Dream Theater) while a member of Extreme
*Mike Portnoy formerly of Dream Theater
*Emil Richards (studio percussionist)
* Pete Sandoval of Morbid Angel
* Lol Tolhurst of The Cure
*Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers
* Jürgen Rosenthal of Eloy
* HotSauce of Backyard Band

References

External links

Remo websiteRoto Tom Drum Experts fan websitePhoto of rototom closeupPhoto of rototom in a drum kitReview of the premiere recording of Tippett: The Rose Lake

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Drums
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Pitched percussion instruments
20th-century percussion instruments